The Child of Darkness II: Pain
by Izumihimechan
Summary: We have returned to Hogwarts. My sisters are here now and everthing should be great. Except it's not. I have a secret that I can't even tell the others about. It could ruin everything I have with Draco if I tell.
1. Return

Summer vacation had ended and I was now getting ready to go back to school. I had spent the better part of the summer at Draco's manor. Cory had stayed with us for a week but he got bored and went home after that. I stayed at my house for about two weeks because Taylor begged me to come home at least for a little while. Then I spent a week or two at Ron's house because Harry and Hermione were there. 

Now I was back at my house because my parents had great news. The twins, Jordyn and Taylor, had turned eleven in July and had received letters from Hogwarts! Cory and I were shocked. We had never thought that the twins were witches! The girls were very excited because they were now going to be with us all the time. This didn't please us as much as it did them but that was normal.  
"Will we like our classes?" Taylor asked as we all packed our trunks.  
"Some of them," I replied.  
"Cory, are you coming too?" Jordyn asked. Cory nodded.  
"But you weren't at school all that time after you left, were you?" she asked.  
"My aren't we curious today?" I muttered. Cory elbowed me in the ribs.  
"No I wasn't," he replied.  
"Well who taught you magic?" Jordyn asked. Cory and I glanced at each other. We hadn't told anyone in our family who had been keeping Cory since he was eleven because we didn't want to upset them. The truth was it was Lord Voldemort, the most evil wizard in the world. The girls looked at us expectantly.  
"Um...a friend of our biological parents," Cory muttered. I bit my lower lip. While Cory had stayed at the Malfoy manor with me he had told me something that Voldemort had told him. Our parents were Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers. That's why he had taken Cory when he was eleven. He had planned to take me as well but Dumbledore had gotten in his way. He spelled our whole house so that no Death Eater or anyone being controlled by Voldemort could get near it. Of course this was all after Cory had left. Cory had told me something else as well. Voldemort had killed our parents because they had disobeyed one of his orders. That's why we had been adopted. We finished packing our things and took them down to the fireplace in the living room where mom, dad, and Bryson were waiting. Bryson looked a little depressed about being the only muggle kid in the family.  
"Cheer up Bry," I said. "We'll be home soon." We hugged them all goodbye and one by one used Floo Powder to go to Hogwarts.

When we reached the school Professor Dumbledore greeted us warmly.

"Schyler, Cory! My how nice it is to see you two again!" he said. He turned to the twins and smiled. "And these must be your sisters! How very nice to meet you girls." The twins smiled at him.  
"How old are you?" Jordyn asked. I smacked her on the back of the head.  
"You know better!" I hissed.  
"Now Schyler it's quite all right," Dumbledore said. "I'm quite old. Too old to remember my age." He chuckled and led us to the Great Hall. Cory and I went to sit the other Gryffindors, while the girls went to line up with the other first years.  
"Hi guys!" I said sliding into the seat next to Harry. "Have you met my brother"  
"The one who watched the Cruciatus Curse being used on you and didn't help you?" Harry asked. "No, haven't had the pleasure of knocking his teeth out, sorry"  
"Okay, well this is him," I replied as Cory sat next to me. "This is my older brother Cory and you won't be knocking his teeth out. He was under the Imperious Curse." Harry looked doubtful.  
"Really, he was!" I said. Harry shrugged.  
"Cory, meet my friends," I said. "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger." I pointed to each one in turn.  
"I've heard loads about all of you," Cory replied. Then the Sorting began. Taylor and Jordyn were both put in Gryffindor so I introduced them to Harry and the others.

After dinner Draco met me outside of the Great Hall.  
"I missed you," he said as he kissed my cheek.  
"I was only away for two days," I replied feeling my cheeks get hot.

"Yeah, two very long days," Draco said. The others made little "oooo's" and kissing noises. I glared at them.  
"Oh shut up," I snapped. They laughed. I rolled my eyes and hugged Draco.  
"C'mon," Cory said. "We have to get going."

"I'll see you tomorrow," I whispered to Draco. I kissed his cheek and went up to the Common Room with the others. I showed the girls where their dorm room was and then went with Hermione to ours.

"I'm so glad to be back," she sighed as we pulled our pajamas out of our trunks.  
"Yeah," I replied. "Me too." I climbed onto my bed and pulled the deep red velvet hangings around the bedso that none of the other girls could see me. I slipped out of my clothes and winced. I looked down at the large black and blue bruise on my right side. I touched it lightly and winced in pain again. Then I put on my pajamas, put my clothes in my trunk, and fell asleep.


	2. Pretend

The next day we had classes. The girls were completely confused so my friends and I tried to help them but we couldn't be with them all day as we had classes of our own. 

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and I ran into Defense Against the Dark Arts. We slid into our seats just as the bell rang. We looked around for the teacher.  
"Maybe they couldn't find a new one," Ron said. I shrugged.  
"Maybe the teacher's just late," I said. Then a young woman walked into the room.  
"I'm sorry I'm late," she said. "I was talking to Professor McGonagall about something. I'm Professor Tompkins." We all looked at her and didn't say anything.  
"Okay, um...the Headmaster told me that you learned about Unforgivable Curses last year and that two of you are able to resist the Imperious Curse. Miss Marcin and Mr. Potter. Well why don't you two tell us all how you do it?" Harry shrugged.  
"I don't think about it, I just do it," he said. Professor Tompkins looked at me.  
"What about you?" she asked. I looked down at the table that the five of us were sitting at.  
"I don't know," I said. "I just know that I don't want to do whatever it is the person is telling me to do." Tompkins nodded and began the day's lesson.

After classes were over Cory, Hermione, Ron, Jordyn, Taylor, Harry, and I were standing in a courtyard waiting for Draco.

"So how much homework do you guys have?" Jordyn asked.  
"Not much," I replied. "You?" She shrugged.  
"Not really."  
"How do you like your classes?" Hermione asked. Taylor smiled widely.  
"We love 'em!" she said. "Hey, when you guys go to Hogsmead what do you do?" Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I smiled at each other.  
"Go to shops and the Three Broomsticks," I said. "It's a pub. The best shop is Honeydukes. It's a sweets shop." Jordyn grinned at this.  
"You'll get me candy when you go, right?" she asked. We all laughed and nodded.  
"The Three Broomsticks is great too you know," Harry said. "Everyone goes there"  
"Lots of girls?" Jordyn asked. "I bet you check them all out!" Harry grinned.  
"Nope," he replied. "I pay attention to only one girl." He was smiling mischievously.  
"Who?" Taylor asked. Harry put his arm around my shoulders.  
"Your sister here." I laughed.  
"Yeah right," I said. Harry pretended to look hurt.  
"I do so!" he teased. "You are the only one! I swear! Here, I'll prove it." He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. It was a fake kiss but none the less it made me laugh even harder.  
"Oh Harry, stop it!" I cried. Then I looked up and saw Draco standing in front of us. Harry took his arm off my shoulder. I smiled at Draco.  
"Hey," I said. "We were waiting for you."

"Can I talk to you?" Draco asked. "Alone?" I gulped and nodded.

Draco led me to another courtyard, which was oddly deserted.  
_That's not good,_ I thought. Draco turned to me.  
"What were you playing at?" he hissed.

"We were just joking around," I said. Draco walked up to me and shoved me to the ground.  
"You let him kiss you!" he shouted. I got to my feet.  
"It wasn't a real one!" I shouted back. "I wouldn't have let him do that! Quit being paranoid!" Draco grabbed me and threw me against a wall. My head slammed into it and little white dots danced in front of my eyes. Draco walked up to me and started to choke me.  
_Just like he did at the ball,_ I thought.  
"You are my girlfriend," he hissed. "You're mine, do you understand?" I nodded as I struggled to breathe. Draco let go and I leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. Tears came into my eyes but I kept them from falling. That might make things worse. Draco put his pointer finger under my chin and tilted my face toward his.  
"You're mine," he whispered. "I won't let anyone else have you." He leaned down and kissed my lips. I shuddered and pushed him away.  
"No," whispered. "Don't do that." Anger flashed across Draco's face. He threw me to the ground and gave me a hard kick in the side where the bruise was. He had given me that bruise over the summer, although it was more of an accident. He had been chasing me, trying to give me a kiss and I had slipped and hit my side, it was still kind of his fault though.

I cried out in pain and curled into a ball.  
"Stop it!" I cried. Draco pulled me to my feet.  
"Then let me kiss you!" he demanded.  
"No," I replied. He punched me in the stomach and I doubled over in pain. Then he backed me up against the wall and pinned me there. He leaned down and started to kiss me. I gave up on trying to fight him because that would just make him angrier. Finally he pulled away and smiled at me.  
"See?" he asked. "That wasn't so bad"  
"I thought you were nicer than this," I spat. "You're a total git!" Draco slammed his fist into my gut again. I fell to my knees. He knelt in front of me.  
"Take that back," he said. I coughed for a minute.  
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I take it back." Draco smiled.  
"I love you," he said.  
"I love you too," I replied. He kissed my cheek and then pulled me to my feet. We walked out of the courtyard and I didn't need him to tell me not to tell the others.

"Why are you limping?" Cory asked. I looked up at him as Draco and I walked toward the others.  
"I fell," I answered with a shrug. "I'm clumsy." _Oh Cory, help me! Draco's hurting me! Harry help me!_ Draco put his arm around my side and pulled me against him tightly. I winced but no one saw.  
"So what do we do now?" Jordyn asked.

"Dinner will be starting soon," Ron said. Jordyn nodded. I noticed that she was watching a first year boy from Ravenclaw.  
"Quit that," I snapped at her. "You're too young." Jordyn scowled at me.  
"Let's go in then," Hermione said. "Shall we?" We all nodded and walked into the castle and then to the Great Hall. Draco kissed my cheek before he went to sit at his table. Harry, the others, and I went to sit at our table.  
"Why are you so pale?" Taylor asked. "Are you sick?" I shook my head and sat down. Dinner appeared and everyone began to eat. I however, didn't have much of an appetite. I pushed away from the table and stood up.  
"I'm going to bed," I said. "I'm not hungry." Cory and the others looked at me quizzically.  
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.  
"Nothing," I replied. Harry please, protect me! I walked away from them and left the Great Hall.

As I was going up the stairs the pain in my side grew so bad that I collapsed on the stairs and sobbed in pain. After a few minutes I got to my feet and trudged to the portrait that led to the Common Room.  
"Password?" the Fat Lady asked.  
"Secrets," I said tearfully. How fitting, I had a very deadly secret. The portrait swung forward and I went into the Common Room. I hurried to the girls' dorm and into the room that I shared with the other sixth year girls. I went to my trunk and pulled out a container of murlap paste. This would dull the pain in my side. I pulled out a cloth and some gauze. I climbed onto my bed, closed the hangings, and pulled off my shirt. The bruise looked worse because of Draco kicking me. I dipped the cloth into the paste and smeared it on the bruise. Slowly, my side went numb. When I couldn't feel it anymore I wrapped the gauze around my ribs until the bruise was pretty well padded. Then I pulled my pajamas on and fell asleep.

For months I used the paste on the bruises that formed almost every day. Each time Draco saw Harry pretending to kiss me or every time I said something that upset him he took me to a deserted place and beat me up. Of course he was smart enough to hit me where no one would see the bruises. I was afraid to tell the others and for some reason, even though he was hurting me, I still loved him. I never tried to tell anyone. I just kept pretending that I was fine.


	3. Christmas at the Marcin House

Today we were going home for Christmas break. I told Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Draco to come and visit.

"Bring the rest of your family too, okay Ron?" I said. "You too Hermione." Ron and Hermione nodded.  
"You'll come to my manor the day after Christmas Day, right?" Draco asked me. "We're having another ball a few days after that like last year. You can stay at the manor until then." I hesitated for a minute. I knew that the others couldn't come because Draco's parents hated Ron's family because they were poor, Harry because he was Voldemort's enemy, and Hermione and the twins because they were muggle-borns. I knew that that meant that they would never want to meet my mom, dad, and Bryson. I didn't want to be there with him alone.  
"Can Cory come?" I asked. Draco looked at Cory. Cory looked back at him with a cool gaze. Draco shrugged.  
"If he wants," he replied. I smiled.  
"I'll come," I said. "Even if he doesn't." Draco smiled and kissed me. I kissed him back and then watched as my siblings got into Professor Dumbledore's fireplace and one by one used the Floo Powder to go home. I hugged Harry and the others and told them not to forget to come to visit.

"You can even come on Christmas Day," I said. "That would be really cool if you did. You too Draco. If you do then I'll come to your manor then" They nodded and I stepped into the fireplace.  
"Marcin House!" I said dropping the Floo Powder. The last thing I saw was Draco.

_ I'm so stupid!_ I thought.

On Christmas Day the Weasleys, Hermione, Harry, and Draco came over. Bryson looked like he had never seen so many people come into our house by Floo Powder before. He hadn't so I wasn't surprised when he asked me if more were coming after the Weasley's arrived. They had come last because there were so many of them.  
"No, that's everyone," I said. "Hey, Hermione, where are your parents?"

"Oh, they had a party to go to or something like that," she replied. "I hate going to those things so they let me come here. They said to tell everyone Happy Christmas, though." We all sat down around the living room and opened presents. Harry got me Golden Snitch charm bracelet.  
"You really love that thing, don't you?" I teased as I slipped it onto my right wrist. Harry shrugged and grinned. The toy Snitch that he had gotten me last year flitted past him and he snatched it from the air.  
"Seekers," I said playfully rolling my eyes. Harry let it go and Draco caught it. For a few minutes all of us kids took turns catching it and letting it go again.  
"Okay kids," mom said. "Finish with your presents." I picked up the one that Hermione had gotten me.  
"Another book!" I said as I pulled off the wrapping paper. "I should have known, thanks Hermione!" The book she had gotten me was the sequel to the one she had gotten me last year. This one was called_ Artimus the Animagus: Kir's Pack_. Hermione smiled.  
"I'm reading the series too," she said. "We can have discussions about this one when you finish it." I grinned. She would never change! Ron got me a model of a wolf that, like the lion he had gotten me last year, really moved and howled. I set the wolf on my knee where it curled up.  
"It's so cute," I said. "Thanks Ron." He smiled at me. His mom made me another sweater, this time with a howling wolf on it, and she gave me a tin of fudge as well. Ron's older brothers also got me presents even though they had never even met me. His brother Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania, got me a necklace with a red dragon scale pendant. Bill, who worked at the wizard bank, Gringotts in Egypt, got me an Egyptian quill.

"You guys really didn't have to get me...I mean..." I stammered. Bill and Charlie laughed.

"Really it's okay," Bill said. "We don't mind." I smiled at them. Fred and George got me free samples of some of the products from their joke shop. I rolled my eyes at them.  
"Promoting the shop are you?" I teased. Fred nodded.  
"Works really well," he said. Ginny gave me a really pretty pair of hair clips. I gave all of them their presents along with really big hugs. I sat on the floor again. Draco tapped my shoulder.  
"I didn't forget you," I said handing him his present. Draco smirked and handed my mine.  
"You'll love it," he said. I smiled and opened the small green box. Inside were two bracelets. One was silver with ruby beads and one was silver with emerald beads. I gasped.  
"Draco...I..." I stammered. Draco took them out of the box. He slipped the ruby one onto my right wrist and the emerald one onto my left.  
"Did I do that right?" he asked although by his tone I knew that he knew that he had. I nodded.  
"You know me very well," I said. Draco opened his present, which was silver pentagram on a black cord. In the middle of the pentagram was half of a ruby and half of an emerald. Draco put it on. The cord was short so that the pentagram rested against his throat.

"Thank you," he said. I smiled at him.  
"You're welcome," I replied. Draco wrapped his arms around me and I leaned back against him.

_ Why do I love him so much?_ I wondered. _With all the things he's been doing to me. Why do I still love him so much?_ Once everyone had opened their gifts we ate lunch and then Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Draco, Jordyn, Taylor, Ginny, and I went and played Wizards Chess, Gobstones, and Exploding Snap. We invited Cory, Bill, and Charlie to play as well but they wanted to stay and talk with the adults.

"It can't be much fun," I said as we worked on building our house of cards. "I mean, not with mum and dad sitting right there. They can't talk about anything magical or they'll get confused and, no offense guys, but your dad doesn't know much about muggle stuff." We finished the house and it exploded.  
"He likes to pretend he does though," Ginny said. After we got tired of playing games Draco asked me if I wanted to go to his manor now.  
"The others haven't left yet," I protested. "Wait until they do, okay?" Of course as soon as I said that Mr. Weasley said that they were going to go home now. Ron told Harry and Hermione to come with them and he asked if I wanted to come too but I said that I was going to Draco's manor. When the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione left I said goodbye to my parents and siblings and followed Draco to his house. He had gone on ahead of me to tell his parents that I was coming to stay with them.

A/N: Sorry if it's short! This part wasn't super important.


	4. At Draco's House

When I reached the manor and stepped out of the fireplace and knew instantly that I was in Draco's room. It hadn't changed at all since I had been here last. Draco came into the room, smirking as usual.

"They're pleased that you're here," he said. "And they said to tell you that we're eating with them tonight." I nodded.  
"I'm going to my room then," I said. "I want to take a little nap." Draco frowned.

"Why can't you sleep here?" he asked.  
"Because I have my own room and I don't want to sleep in here," I snapped. "I'll see you in a little while." Draco's face darkened with rage. He didn't like it when I disagreed with him.  
"Don't look at me like that," I said. "I'm not trying to upset you. I just want to sleep in my room. You had it made for me and I want to use it." Draco took a step toward me.  
"Oh you can use it later," he said. "For now I want you to stay in here." I glared at him.  
"No," I snapped. "I'm going to my room_ now_." I pushed my way past Draco. He grabbed my arm tightly.  
"I don't think so," he hissed. "You will do as I say."  
"Draco you are a complete control freak," I said. "Now _let me go_!" Draco tightened his grip.  
"I mean it," he said. "Now do as I say"  
"No!" I shouted slapping him across the face. I had done this twice at the ball last year and I knew not to do it but he was really making me mad! Draco grabbed me by the throat.  
"I told you never to do that again!" he shouted. "I don't want to hurt you Schyler but you are making it very difficult for me not to!"

"Let...me...go!" I gasped. Draco released his grip on my throat, grabbed both my arms and dragged me over to his bed. He threw me onto the bed and glared down at me.  
"I'll wake you before dinner," he growled. Then he left, locking the door behind him.  
"You git!" I screamed after him. I fell back onto the pillows and closed my eyes. I could always use the Floo Powder to go home but then everyone would know that something was wrong.  
"No, it's best that I stay here," I muttered. Then I fell asleep.

When I woke up I felt something pressing against my bruised side. I winced and rolled over. Draco was lying next to me with his arm around me. He looked so sweet when he was asleep that I almost couldn't believe that he could hurt me the way he did.

"Draco," I said softly. "I'm sorry for hitting you." Draco opened his eyes and looked at me.  
"I'm the one who should be apologizing," he said. "I really am sorry." I nodded and my eyes filled with tears.  
_I'm so stupid!_ I thought. _He always says that and then he just does the same damn thing again! Why do I keep doing this to myself? Why do I love him so much?_

"Schyler, luv, what's the matter?" he asked. I let out a sob and buried my face in the pillows.  
"I love you," I sobbed. "I love you Draco." Draco pulled me to him so that I was crying into his shoulder.  
"What's wrong with that?" he asked. "I love you too." I shook my head.  
"I don't know," I sobbed. "I'm just being stupid." Draco laughed quietly.  
"You're not stupid," he said.

_Oh yes I am!_ I thought. Draco tilted my face toward his.  
"You are not stupid," he repeated. "You are one of the most brilliant people I know. I love you Schyler and I know that you are not stupid." He kissed me. When he pulled away I wiped my tears away and rolled off of the bed.  
"I better go change for dinner," I said. "The door still has that charm on it, right?" Draco nodded.  
"Sorry, Father is just..."

"I know," I replied. Draco walked me to my room. I went to the closet and chose my favorite dress. The one that looked like princess Serenity's. I put my hair up like hers and chose the bracelet, earrings, and shoes from last time.

Draco came in just as I was putting in the earrings. He laughed.  
"Couldn't you have worn something else?" he asked. I smiled and turned to him as I put the back into the earring in my right ear. I straightened up.  
"I like this outfit, thank you very much," I said. Draco came and took my hand in his.

"Just don't wear it to the ball," he said. "People might wonder if that's the only dress you have." I smiled and sighed.  
"All right I suppose I could look for something else." I had no intention of doing that though. I was going to run away tonight. If Draco caught me I would make sure that I would be so sick or hurt that there would be no way that I could go.

We walked down to the dinning room and sat down. Draco was on my left, Lucius was on my right, and Narcissa was across from me.  
"It's nice to have you here again Schyler," Narcissa said.  
"Thanks for letting me stay," I replied. "Cory says he's sorry he couldn't come"  
"And why's that?" Lucius asked. I swallowed my mouthful of potatoes.  
"Because my mum and dad asked him to watch the twins and our little brother this week," I answered. "They're going to some couples thing. A cruise, I think."  
"Why didn't you invite your siblings to come along?" Narcissa asked. "We wouldn't have minded"  
"Oh yes you would have," I replied.  
"Why's that?" Lucius asked coldly.  
"Um Father, maybe Schyler should tell you about that snowball fight we had at school the other day," Draco said. "Remember Schyler? Remember how Cory..." He was lying, there hadn't been any snow for weeks. We could have made some but we hadn't.  
"Be silent Draco," his father snapped. "Let her answer." I gulped.  
"Well, my sisters, Jordyn and Taylor," I began.  
"They're the twins, right?" Narcissa asked. I nodded.  
"Yeah, well they're muggle-born and my little brother Bryson is a muggle," I said. "So I knew better than to invite them here." Lucius nodded.  
"So you don't have a problem being around them?" he asked. "Knowing what your parents were?"

"No," I snapped. "I love my younger siblings. I have no problem with them." Lucius didn't say anything.

"May I be excused?" I asked. "I think I'm going to be sick." Narcissa nodded so I got to my feet and stormed back to my room.  
"That jerk!" I cried as I slammed the door. I was definitely going to run now! I went to my closet and grabbed my black tank top, black jeans, black tennis shoes, and my black zip up hoodie. I changed into them and then went out onto the balcony. It wasn't cold out like last winter. In fact there wasn't even any snow. It felt like spring. There was a half moon out, that might blow some shadow cover but as long as I didn't get caught...my door opened and Draco came in looking furious.  
"What'd you storm out of there for?" he shouted.  
"Leave me alone, Draco," I snapped. Draco came up to me and spun me around to face him.  
"Listen to me," he said. "Father wants us both to come to the parlor for desert and he wants to talk to us about something. Please, be nice to him. For both our sakes."  
"Go without me," I snapped. "I'm staying here." Draco's eyes flashed dangerously and I feared for a moment that he was going to throw me off the balcony. But all he did was turn and walk out. I stood for a few minutes in total shock. Had he just resisted the urge to hit me? I blinked and turned back to the balcony ledge.

_ Who cares if he didn't do it **this** time?_ I thought angrily._ That doesn't erase the fact that he did it millions of times before._ I swung my leg over the railing and stepped onto the small ledge. I looked over my shoulder. It was a seven-foot drop to the ground. I couldn't jump that far without hurting myself. Cory had been able to do it without getting hurt last year but I couldn't. I gripped the stone supports and lowered myself over the edge. When my hands hit the outer ledge I gripped that and lowered myself even more. I was about five feet from the ground now.  
_ Well this is as close as I'm going to get, I guess,_ I thought. I let go and landed in a crouching position. I sensed someone watching me and I looked up. I had landed in front of a large bay window. The window gave me a view of the parlor and Lucius and Draco were looking right at me! Draco's eyes widened and he bolted from the room. Lucius smiled coldly at me. I gasped and ran as fast as I could into the woods surrounding the Malfoy Manor.


	5. Running Away and Draco's Promise

My feet pounded on the uneven ground as I crashed through the bushes and tree branches. Soon I could hear Draco behind me. I ran even faster. My heart thudded painfully in my chest and my lungs were screaming for more air.  
"Schyler!" Draco yelled. "Stop!" I forced my legs to go faster.  
_Please,_ I begged them._ Just get me away from him. I don't want to get caught._ I crashed into a clearing with a large lake in the middle. I slowed and listened. I couldn't hear Draco but that didn't mean that he had given up. Then, I heard him coming toward me. I looked at the lake. Even with the weather as nice as it was there was still a thin layer of ice on the water.  
"I have no other choice," I panted to myself. I dove into the lake. Icy water closed over me and I felt like every movement I made caused knives to stab me. The water was unbearably cold. I swam underwater until I saw the form of a large rock loom up in front of me. I swam behind it and came up for air. I gulped down huge breaths of air. I was shivering terribly and I wondered if I was getting hypothermia. I peered around the rock and saw Draco at the edge of the lake, his lit wand held high, looking for me.  
"Schyler!" he yelled. "Come out! _Please_!" I saw him look at the lake and I saw his eyes widen. He started around the lake to where I was. I sucked in a large breath and ducked underwater. I treaded water and looked up. I could see Draco's dark form stop where I was. I swam away from him. He started to shoot stunning spells at me. Because I was not looking where I was going I slammed into something. I saw blood flowing into the water. I opened my mouth to gasp, forgetting that I was underwater. I swallowed water. I tried to cough and swallowed more.  
_ Draco...help me..._ I thought. Then I fell unconscious, and began to drift to the bottom of the lake. 

Draco saw me drifting to the bottom of the lake.  
"Damn it!" he cried. "I swear if you die...!" He pointed his wand at me and shouted, "_Accio Schyler_!" I flew out of the lake and onto the bank. I wasn't breathing. Draco knelt beside me and checked my pulse. It was very faint. He shook me but seeing as I wasn't breathing I didn't stir. He began to do CPR and mouth to mouth.

I coughed and sputtered as the water came out. I opened my eyes slightly and saw Draco looking at me.  
"I'm...sorry..." I said hoarsely. Then I blacked out again. Draco picked me up and carried me back to the manor.

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in my room at the manor. How had I gotten here? I thought I had died!

"Ah, now there's a good sign," an unfamiliar voice said. I looked to my right and saw a woman who looked to be in her fifties standing by me.  
"Who are you?" I asked.  
"I'm a Healer, dear," she said. "You had a very close encounter. Master Draco was very worried about you. You had a very nasty gash on your head and you had hypothermia as well. Why were you in the lake? It had to be freezing." I nodded.

"I was running...from a wolf...I thought it wouldn't follow me into the lake," I lied quickly. "I must have hit a rock while I was underwater." The Healer smiled.  
"You should be fine," she said. "You really are a fighter." I nodded. Then the doors to my room opened and Draco walked in. The Healer looked up and smiled at him.  
"How is she?" he asked.

"She'll be just fine Master Draco," she replied. "I'll leave you two alone then."

"Thank you," Draco said. "My father will see that you are paid." The woman nodded and walked out, closing the doors behind her. Draco walked over to the right side of my bed and sat down on the edge. He looked out at the balcony.  
"How are you feeling?" he asked.  
"Fine," I whispered. "Kind of dizzy, but fine"  
"I thought you were dead," he said. "I thought I hadn't gotten you out of the lake quick enough. I thought..." He shook his head, then looked at me. "It was because of me wasn't it? That's why you ran away and that's why you jumped into the lake. To get away from me." He stared at me with his clear pale ocean blue eyes. I opened my mouth and a sob escaped my throat.  
"I'm sorry!" I sobbed. "I am, I swear! I just didn't want to be hurt...I was just tired of it! I love you Draco, I really do! I just..." I couldn't go on anymore. I had run out of words to explain how I felt. Draco looked worried and he pulled me into his arms.  
"Don't worry luv," he murmured. "I'll stop, I promise." I nodded and he laid me back against the pillows.

"Get some sleep. The ball is tomorrow." I closed my eyes and slept.


	6. The Ball

The next day Draco woke me up at three thirty.  
"Come on," he said as he helped me out of bed. "You need to start getting ready." I nodded, still feeling somewhat groggy. Draco left and I went to take a long bath. This time I after I had soaked for two hours and washed my hair I rubbed citrus smelling gel over myself so I could smell like oranges. Then I got out, dried off, and went to the closet to look for a dress. I picked out a red dress with thin shoulder straps, a long bow in the back with ribbon ends that trailed to the floor, and a ribbon that tied around my neck. After I put it on along with a pair of red shoesI went to my vanity, sat down on the white chair, and brushed out my long blonde hair. I was wearing it down this time. I made sure that the bracelets that Draco and Harry had given me were on my wrists. I looked at the charm bracelet from Harry. It didn't really go with this dress. I sighed and took it off. Then I made sure that the ring that Draco had given me was still on my right ring finger, which it was. I was glad that nothing had happened to any of my jewelry when I had jumped into the lake. I picked out a pair of ruby earrings and a pair of emerald ones. My ears were double pierced but if I was only wearing one pair I wore flesh colored plastic studs so that no one would notice. I put the earrings into my ears and then Draco walked in.  
"Hey Draco," I said turning to him and standing up. "Is this okay for the ball?" Draco smirked. He was wearing the necklace that I had given him. He was wearing and suit this year instead of that armour thing. The suit wasof course, darkgeen and silver.  
"Very nice," he said. "I have one more thing for you that will make it perfect. Another Christmas present. Close your eyes." I did as he said. I heard him walk up to me and felt him put something around my neck. I opened my eyes as I felt him pull away. I turned back to the mirror in my vanity and looked at my reflection. Around my neck was a necklace exactly like the one I had given Draco for Christmas except it was on a thin silver chain instead of a black cord and it hung low so that it rested against the top of my chest instead of my throat. I gasped and reached up to touch it. Suddenly the ruby and emerald beads on my bracelets lit up. I looked at them in shock. Inside each bead was a letter. I looked at both bracelets. When I put the letters together I saw that each bracelet said _I Love You_. I smiled as the letters disappeared.  
"Dido," I said. Draco took my hand and we walked to the ballroom.  
"Karr will be here again," Draco said his hated for Malik evident in his voice. "I tried to convince Father not to invite him but since his parents are coming he is too." I nodded.  
"You want me to stay away from him, right?" I asked. Draco nodded. We walked into the ballroom and danced to the song that was playing. Again it was all classical but I didn't mind. When the dance ended Draco went to go greet some of his father's friends.

"Let me guess, stay away from Malik, right?" I asked. Draco smirked and walked off.

"Hello Schyler," Malik's voice said as soon as Draco had disappeared into the crowd.  
"Malik!" I cried whirling around to look at him. "No! Get away from me! If Draco sees you..."  
"Who cares about that git?" Malik asked.  
"I do," I said. "And he'll be mad if he sees you near me, so go away." Malik stared at me intently.  
"He hurt you last time, didn't he?" he asked. I looked away from him.  
"I don't want to talk about it," I said. "I'm going to find Draco, stay away from me, please." Then I walked off, spotting Draco by the buffet table. I walked up to him as couple walked off.  
"Hey," I said linking my arm with his and leaning against him.  
"Oh, hi," Draco replied. "I thought you were going to wait out on the dance floor."

"I was but..." my voice trailed off as Malik came toward us. Didn't he _ever_ listen?  
"What do _you_ want?" Draco demanded.  
"This_ is_ a buffet table, isn't it?" Malik said sarcastically. "Isn't that why there's food here?" Draco glared at him.  
"C'mon Draco," I said taking his hand. "Let's go dance"  
"Save one for me," Malik said. I looked over my shoulder at him.  
"In you're dreams," I snapped. After we had danced for quite some time Lucius called Draco to meet some more important people.

"I'll wait for you on the patio," I said. "I'm overheating from all this dancing." Draco nodded and walked off. I walked out onto the stone patio. It was nice and cool out here. I leaned against the railing and sighed.  
"Come for some fresh air?" Malik's voice asked. I looked over at one of the benches that lined the patio and saw him sitting there.  
"Yes, now leave me alone," I said briskly.  
"Do you do everything he tells you?" Malik asked. I looked away and ignored him. Malik got to his feet and came over to me.  
"I wouldn't treat you the way he does you know," he said. "I swear I wouldn't." I continued to ignore him. He turned me toward him.  
"Please give me a chance." I glared up at him so fiercely that I could almost feel fire coming out of my eyes. Malik smiled almost as if he was amused. I pushed him away from me.  
"I mean it, _leave me alone_," I hissed. He grabbed my arms, pulled me toward him, and kissed me on the lips. I beat at his shoulders with my fists and struggled as hard as I could. Draco couldn't see this! He'd kill me! Malik pinned my arms to his chest.  
"_KARR_!" Draco's voice bellowed. "_Get the hell away from her_!" Malik released me and I fell against the railing.  
"Why should I, Malfoy?" Malik asked.

"Because she's _my _girlfriend!" Draco shouted. "You leave her alone!" I looked from one boy to the other. They were going to have a fight like last year only it was going to be much worse.  
"I would hardly call_ you_ her boyfriend, Malfoy," Malik said. "I know how you treat her, even if she never tells me, I can see it in her eyes." I gasped. If he could tell then could Cory and the others? I shook my head. Of course not, they would have said something.

"_Rictus Sempra_!" Draco yelled. Malik spun through the air and landed with a hard thud on the lawn. I looked at the two of them. Their fight had escalated while I had been thinking and now they had their wands and were shooting spells at each other. Malik got to his feet, his lip was bleeding. He pointed his wand at Draco.  
"_Alarteacendere_!" he yelled. Draco flew straight up in air and landed flat on his back. He gasped in pain.

"_Stop it_!" I screamed. "You two are acting like children! _Grow up already_!" Draco got to his feet and pointed his wand at Malik.

"I'm going to kill you!" he snarled.  
"Not if I kill you first!" Malik snarled back.  
"_No_!" I screamed. "_Stop it_! Draco, _listen_ to me!" Draco and Malik were beyond talking to now. All they cared about was attacking each other.  
"_Cruicio_!" Draco shouted.  
"_Cruicio_!" Malik shouted at the same time.

"_Stop it_!" I screamed. I ran in between them. Both spells hit me. Draco's in my chest and Malik's in my back. I screamed in pain and collapsed on the ground. Both boys gasped and lifted the curses.

"Draco..." I called weakly. Draco rushed to me and picked me up.  
"Oh my God..." he said. "I'm sorry." I smiled weakly and fainted. If I had been awake I would have seen the death glare that Draco shot Malik and the one that Malik shot back. I would have seen that everyone at the ball had heard me screaming and had come to the patio doors to see what was going on. I would have seen the way Lucius had looked at Draco. Draco had ignored his father and had taken me to my room.


	7. The Worst Beating

I woke up the next morning feeling like I had been crushed by a ton of bricks. I got out of bed slowly and got dressed. I put on red T-shirt and dark blue jeans. I pulled my hair back and braided it quickly. Surprising since it was so long. I just didn't feel like looking like Serena today. Then I went to my crystal table and waited for Draco. He walked in a few minutes later. His lip was bleeding and there was a gash on his cheek and one just above his left eye.  
"Draco, what happened?" I asked. Draco sat down on the chair across the table from me.  
"Father," he answered dully. "As punishment for ruining his ball." I gasped.  
"He did this to you?" I asked. "_Your own father_?" Draco shrugged as if it didn't really matter.  
"It happens all the time," he said. "I'm used to it." I got up and got the first aid kit from the bathroom. I knelt in front of him.  
"This is going to sting," I said as I dabbed a cloth with hydrogen peroxide on it on the cut on his cheek. Draco winced and pulled away.  
"No, really, it's fine," he said. "I'm okay."

"And I'm a mermaid," I snapped sarcastically. "Now _hold still_!" Draco sighed and I finished cleaning his cuts. Then I took out my wand and healed them.  
"You'll be okay now," I said. Draco smiled warily at me.  
"Are you all right?" he asked. I nodded.  
"I'm sorry that I got in the way," I said. "I just..." Draco placed his right pointer finger against my lips.  
"We shouldn't have done that to you," he said. "We shouldn't have been fighting in the first place. You told us to stop." I sighed. I was so glad that he wasn't angry with me! He took his finger away. I smiled up at him.  
"But he did kiss you," Draco said quietly. My eyes widened.  
"That wasn't my fault!" I cried. "I tried to stop him! I did!" Draco let out a harsh bark of laughter.  
"Yes, but he still kissed you." Then he hit me and everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again I didn't know where I was. I was moving but I wasn't walking. Then I realized that I was in the woods and that Draco was carrying me. I was cold, he hadn't bothered to put a coat on me. I tried to squirm but I couldn't move.  
"Draco...what are you doing?" I asked. "Where are you taking me?" Draco smirked.  
"I'm going to teach you a lesson," he said. Then I saw the lake come into view. Draco carried me to the lake. He walked into it until the water went up to his knees. Then he lowered me into the water.  
"Please," I said as the coldness of the water stabbed at me. "Let me go..." Draco smirked and dunked me under. I thrashed my head, willing myself not to open my mouth. Draco pulled me up and I gasped for air.  
"Have you learned your lesson?" he asked. I stared at him in shock. Draco put me under again. This time it was for a longer period of time and I opened my mouth and swallowed water. When he brought me up again I coughed and sputtered.  
"Stop!" I begged. "I'm sorry"  
"Admit that you were wrong," he demanded.

"I didn't kiss him back! I tried to fight him off!" I cried. Draco sighed.  
"Have it your way, then," he said. Again he put me under water. I don't know how long I was under but I must have blacked out because when I opened my eyes I was on the banks. Draco was standing over me.  
"Are you awake?" he asked. I nodded.  
"Yes," I gasped.  
"Good," he sneered and kicked me hard in the ribs. I cringed and whimpered in pain. What happened next was the worse beating that he had ever given me. He kicked me, punched me, slapped me, and threw me all over the place. He didn't seem to care where his blows landed. I cried out in pain and begged him to stop. I told him that I was sorry, that I was wrong, but still the blows kept coming. Soon I became numb and didn't feel it anymore. All I saw was that the dirt had turned red from my blood. The next thing I knew, Draco kicked me in the side of the head and I blacked out.


	8. Decision

I woke up feeling like I was made of lead. Why had he done that to me? After he promised not to, he had still done this.  
_I guess he'll never change,_ I thought. I made up my mind then. I was going to tell Cory and the others. We could meet somewhere and I would tell them what has been going on. I tried to sit up but pain shot through me. I moaned and laid back down. I looked beside me and saw Draco sitting in a chair next to the bed. He was asleep. My heart throbbed painfully. I still loved him. I reached out to touch his hand, which was resting on his knee. When I moved my arm pain shot through it. I cried out softly. Draco jerked awake and looked at me sleepily.  
"You're awake," he whispered. I nodded. Draco shifted uncomfortably.  
"I called a Healer," he said. "After you're fixed up you'll be fine." I nodded again. Draco reached out and brushed my hair away from my face.  
"I love you," he said. "Tell me that you love me too."

"I...I love you," I said. _Why am I being so stupid?_ Draco leaned over and kissed my lips. I closed my eyes and waited until he pulled away. I could feel tears waiting to fall down my cheeks.  
_No! _I thought. _Stay there! Don't let him see!  
_When Draco pulled away I opened my eyes and smiled slightly at him. The doors to the room opened and a Healer walked in.  
"Well Master Draco," she said. "What happened here?" She was a different Healer from the one I had had when I had jumped into the lake and gotten hypothermia.  
"She fell," Draco lied. "We were walking in the woods and she fell down a ravine. I wasn't able to grab her and stop her from falling." The Healer nodded and Draco walked out so that she could heal me. When she was done Draco came back in and thanked her.  
"My father will see that you are paid," he said. She nodded and left. Draco looked at me for a long time. I looked back at him. I wanted to kill him! He opened his mouth.  
"_Don't you dare say it_!" I snarled. "Don't say that you're sorry and that you won't do it again! Don't tell me that you love me! Just leave me alone!" I felt hot tears streak down my cheeks. Draco looked at me in complete shock.  
"Schyler..." he began.  
"_No_!" I screamed. "I'm sick of you! I'm sick of the way you treat me! Just leave me alone!" Draco clamped his mouth shut. His eyes were blazing with anger but he just turned and walked out. I rolled out of bed as soon as he was gone and went onto the balcony.  
"Angelus," I called. "Come to me." My owl flew into the room. I went to the table, took out parchment, a quill, and ink and began to write to Cory, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I told them that I needed to talk to them and to meet me tomorrow night in a field in the woods around the manor. I told them to go to the village on the other side of the woods and gave them directions to the field. I gave the letters to Angelus and he flew off. I shut the balcony doors, got dressed, and waited for Draco to come get me for dinner.

A/N: Sorry it's so short!


	9. Garden

He came in around six thirty. He sat down at the crystal table.  
"It's just us tonight," he said. I went to the chair across from his and sat down. A house elf brought in two trays and set them in front of us. The house elf left and Draco removed the silver lids from the trays. I looked down at the food. I wasn't hungry.  
"I'm not hungry," I said. Draco looked at me.  
"Eat," he commanded. I shook my head and pushed the tray away. Draco sighed and got up from the table.  
"Come with me then," he said. He took me by the hand and led me down to a room.  
"Why did you bring me here?" I asked. We were standing in front of a door and I was afraid of what was on the other side.  
"It's a surprise," Draco replied. "Close your eyes." I did. I heard the door open and Draco pulled me into the room. Then it shut with a soft click.  
"Open your eyes," he said. I opened my eyes slowly and gasped. We were in an inner garden! It was beautiful!  
"Draco..." I whispered.  
"I was going to save it until after dinner," he said. "Do you like it?" I nodded feeling like a stupid child for falling for this. Draco pulled me into the center of the garden and we began to dance, twirling gracefully past rose bushes, lilacs, Lilly of the Valleys, and many that I couldn't name. 

Much later, a clock chimed twelve times from somewhere in the manor. Draco and I were sitting on the edge of a large fountain talking.  
"I'm tired," I said. "Time for us to got to sleep, don't you think?" Draco shook his head.  
"You don't need to sleep," he replied. "Nor do I." I laughed and ran my hand through the water, splashing him. Draco laughed and splashed me back.  
** _This_**_ is how we should be,_ I thought. _This is how we **should** act._ I yawned, stretched, and stood up.  
"Really, I'm tired Draco," I said. "I want to go to sleep now." Draco sighed and stood up as well.

"All right," he said dejectedly. "Come on then." He took my hand and we walked back to my room.  
"Goodnight," I said once I was standing inside the doors.  
"Do I at least get to kiss you goodnight?" he asked. I nodded and hated myself for it. Draco leaned down and we kissed. Then he pulled away and walked across the hall to his room. I reached out and tried to stick my hand out the doorway but a barrier shocked me.  
_ So **that's** Lucius's idea of a locking charm?_ I thought as I glared at the barrier. _If I tried to run out of here I could be killed. That git._ I closed the doors. Then I changed into my pajamas, climbed into bed, and fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up, got dressed, and went out with Draco. I acted like everything was fine and I pretended to enjoy myself but the truth was that I was dying for nightfall to come. The day passed by very slowly.


	10. I love you

Finally night came and I changed into my completely black outfit, put my hair up like Serena's, and put the bracelet from Harry back on my right wrist. I dropped from the balcony as I had done the other night and luckily no one was in the parlor to see me. I ran through the woods until I reached the field. It was much colder now and there was a few inches of snow on the ground. I leaned against a tree and looked up at the moon. It was full and golden. I stared at it for a long time. Then I was aware of movement on the other side of the field. I looked and saw Cory, the twins, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny coming toward me. I waved to them and they waved back. They came across the field and were about halfway when I felt someone step up behind me. I glanced back and saw Draco in the shadows behind me. His eyes had a strange glazed look that I thought I recognized.  
"Are you going to tell them about me?" he asked.  
"Yes," I said. He stepped up to me and wrapped his arms around me. I looked back at the others. I smiled so that they wouldn't be alarmed.

"You won't tell them," Draco hissed in my ear. "Is that clear?"  
"I'm telling them," I hissed back. "And you can't stop me."  
"Yes I can," he said. Then there was a searing pain in my back. I gasped in pain. He stabbed me! Draco let me fall to the ground pulling the athame out of my back. I landed with the side of my face in the snow. My breathing was shallow and every breath caused pain to shoot through me.  
"Schyler!" Harry cried.  
"Draco you bastard!" Cory yelled. "I'll kill you!" Draco smirked and I looked back to watch him melt into the shadows. The others rushed to me and crowded around me.  
"Schyler!" Harry cried. "Can you hear me?" I coughed.  
"Yeah," I said weakly. The twins, Hermione, and Ginny started crying.  
"What'd we do?" Ron asked.  
"We get her to Dumbledore," Cory replied.  
"How do we do that?" Harry shouted. "We can't Apparate!"  
"I can," Cory snapped.

"It wouldn't do you any good," Hermione said. "You can't Apparate in Hogwarts. We'll have to send an owl or something."  
"We could go by Floo Powder," Taylor said. "I saw an empty house in that village that we came through"  
"Are you sure?" Cory asked. Taylor nodded.  
"But we haven't got any Floo Powder," Ginny said.  
"In my pocket," I said. "I brought my bag with me." Cory reached into my pocket and pulled out my bag.  
"Hang in there," he said. "You'll be okay." He picked me up and they ran back to the village.  
They found the house that Taylor said was empty and went inside.  
"How are we supposed to carry her with us?" Harry asked. "She might get hurt when we start to spin." Cory handed the bag to Harry and shifted me so that my chin was against my chest and my knees were pulled up so that my feet wouldn't hit the fireplace walls. I was unconscious by now. Cory stepped into the fireplace and took some of the Floo Powder.

"Dumbledore's Office!" he cried as he dropped it. Then he and I were spun out of the house.

Cory stumbled out of the fireplace in Dumbledore's office.  
"Professor!" he cried. "We need your help!" Harry and the others were beginning to arrive. First Taylor, then Jordyn, then Hermione, then Ginny, then Ron, and last, Harry. Dumbledore came out of whatthey assumed was his bedroom.  
"What seems to be the problem?" he asked.  
"It's Schyler," Harry said. "Draco stabbed her." Worry flashed across Dumbledore's face.  
"Come, we must get her to the hospital wing right away." Dumbledore led everyone to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey healed my wound.  
"She should wake up any minute now," she said. She walked off with Dumbledore, leaving my siblings and friends to try to coax me to wake up.

"C'mon Schy-san," Taylor said. "Wake up. He can't hurt you now." I didn't want to wake up though. I was afraid of Draco and of seeing what everyone would think of me now that they knew what had been going on.  
"Schyler," Harry said taking my hand in both of his. "Please, wake up." A tingle went up my spine when Harry touched me. That hadn't been happening with Draco lately. Not since he had started beating me. Dumbledore came over to us.  
"I've called your parents," he said to Cory. "As soon as Schyler wakes up I'm going to send you all to the Weasley's. You're parents and younger brotherwill meet you there. Why don't you change out of those clothes? I've set some that should fit you over there." Cory looked down at his jeans and T-shirt. They were covered with blood. He nodded and went to the pile. When he had an outfit he turned to the others.  
"Harry, Ron, one of you come get me if she wakes up," he said. "I'll be in the boy's bathroom." Harry and Ron nodded. Cory walked out.  
"Schyler," Harry said again. "Please...wake up."

"Draco can't hurt you now," Hermione said.  
"We won't let him," Ron agreed.  
"Schyler," Harry said. "Wake up. We need you." He leaned toward me and his lips met mine. His tears fell against my cheeks. Again, more tingles.  
"I love you," he whispered when he pulled away. The others gasped. My eyelids fluttered and I opened my eyes and looked at Harry.  
"Harry..." I whispered. I heard Ron dash out of the room. Harry's eyes filled with tears and he hugged me tightly.

"Thank God," he said softly. I sat up and Harry continued to hug me.  
"Schy-san!" Taylor cried jumping onto the bed and throwing her arms around Harry and I. I reached down and touched the back of her head. I smiled slightly, she had her hair up like Rini's from Sailor Moon.  
"I'm okay," I said quietly. Cory and Ron came back into the room.  
"Schyler," Cory said. He came over to me and Harry and Taylor moved so that he could hug me.  
"Cory I..." I began.  
"Later," Cory replied. "We'll talk about it later." He helped me out of bed and we walked back to Dumbledore's office.  
"We're going to Ron's house," Cory said. "Mum, dad, and Bryson are going to meet us there." I nodded and we used my Floo Powder to get the Weasley's house.


	11. Telling Truth

When we reached the Weasley's house Mrs. Weasley helped me fix my shirt and hoodie and clean the blood off of it and my jeans. There wasn't that much. Most of it had gotten on Cory's clothes.  
"There you go," she said as the last bit of blood disappeared. "As good as new."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," I said. She smiled at me and then went into the kitchen where Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore, Bill, and Charlie were sitting. I went into the living room where Cory, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Harry, and the twins were. When I walked in Cory looked up at me. He looked mad. The twins were looking at all of us with wide eyes.  
"Why didn't you ever say somethin'?" Cory demanded.  
"Because I..." I stammered. "I couldn't." Cory looked like he didn't believe me.  
"How hard would it have been?" Cory asked. "All you had to do was say that Draco was hurting you and we would have helped you." My eyes flashed with anger.  
"This started last year!" I yelled. "You were trying to kill me! How was I supposed to ask _you _for help?"

"You could have gone to mum or dad or one of the kids," Cory said. "You and Taylor are close, why didn't you tell her? Or Harry and the others? They would have helped you."  
"Because I love him," I snapped. "I thought I could change him. Besides, I didn't want to drag anyone into it. I didn't want them to get hurt...like Malik did." I looked away from everyone.  
"Who's Malik?" Taylor asked.  
"Malik Karr," I replied. "I met him at the ball last year. He likes me but Draco told me to stay away from him and I danced with him. They got into a fight and Malik accidentally cut my cheek with a knife."  
"What did Draco do?" Harry asked.  
"He and Malik beat each other up pretty bad," I answered. "Then Draco threw Malik onto the lawn and he took me back to my room and fixed my cheek. Then he..." I stopped and closed my eyes tightly.  
"He what?" Ron asked.  
"He threw me against the wall and choked me." Cory stood up and punched the wall.  
"That little...I'm gonna kill him!" he cried. I looked up at him feeling tears in my eyes.  
"No!" I cried. "I deserved it! I didn't do as he said and I slapped him"  
"Schyler, you can't really think that," Harry said. I nodded.  
"There's more," I whispered. "Sit down Cory...you won't like this." Cory sat back down and I continued. I told them how all this year he had been beating me and about running away and about what had happened at this year's ball. Finally I told them about Draco trying to drown me and the beating he gave me afterwards. When I finished I looked at all of them. They were all looking at me with wide eyesexcept Cory.Helooked ready to kill Draco.  
"Well that explains the pain I've been seeing in your eyes," mom's voice said. I whirled around and saw mom, dad, and Bryson standing in the doorway to the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Dumbledore were standing behind them.  
"Mum," I whispered hoarsely. "How long have you been...?"  
"Long enough," mom replied. "How could you keep this from us Schyler?" I looked at the floor feeling ashamed.  
"I couldn't...you don't understand," I said. "His father...he would have killed you." Cory cleared his throat.  
"We aren't talking about Draco's father," he replied.  
"Yes we are," I argued. "Mum and dad would have wanted to talk to Lucius and Narcissa but they don't like muggles. They would have killed mum and dad. You know that Cory." Cory nodded.  
"How do you know this?" dad asked. "You're just children. How can you be sure that they would have killed us"  
"I just told you," I answered. "They kill muggles, it's what they do. They are..."  
"_Schyler_," Cory said his voice full of warning.  
"No Cory," mom said. "Let her finish."

"They're Death Eaters," I finished. "Voldemort's followers. Just like our real parents were. Just like we're supposed to be." Everyone gasped except for Dumbledore and Cory.  
"You're a...a..." Ron stammered.

"_No_," I said firmly. "We_ aren't_. We got away from him. That's why he had to put the Imperious Curse on Cory, there would have been no way to get him to go with the Death Eater otherwise." Mom looked like she was about to faint.  
"Oh my God..." she whispered. "That was why Cory was taken away from us? Because he was supposed to be with this...Voldemort person?" I nodded.  
"If Dumbledore hadn't put a protection spell on the house then he would have come back for me. Do you even know who Voldemort is, mum?" Mom shook her head.  
"He's the most evil wizard in the world," Harry said. "He killed hundreds of wizards, witches, and muggles. He killed my mum and dad when I was a baby. He tried to kill me too. That's how I got my scar." Mom gave a little squeak of shock and collapsed onto the couch, pulling Jordyn into her arms.  
"So you see, I had to deal with this on my own," I said quietly. "I wasn't going to let any of you get hurt." Taylor jumped up and ran to me, hugging me around the waist. I put my hand on the back of her head. I smiled slightly. She was only 4'5'' I had never noticed that before.  
"What should we do?" mom asked weakly. "I mean...how do we protect her?"

"She has to break up with Draco," Charlie said. "Then the others will just have to watch out for her so that Draco doesn't get near her."  
"No!" I shouted. "I can't do that"  
"Why not?" dad snapped. "Don't you want to feel safe?"  
"I love him!" I cried as tears began to run down my cheeks. "I love him! I can't...He could kill you. But there's some good in him. I know there is!"  
"You want to believe that there is," Mr. Weasley replied. "But some people are just completely evil"  
"I know there is," I said. "He risked his life to save me from Voldemort. He wouldn't have if he was really evil." The adults sighed and shook their heads. There was no talking to me.

"Well you lot best be off to bed," Mrs. Weasley said to eight of us who were going back to Hogwarts. "You have to go back to school tomorrow." We nodded and went up to our rooms. Cory and Harry went to Ron's room and Hermione, the twins, and I went to Ginny's.


	12. Forgiven

The next day we used Floo Powder to go back to school. I was quiet and didn't talk to any of the others. I went up to the sixth year dorm and pulled a photo album out of my trunk. I flipped through the pages until I found the picture that Cory had taken of Draco and I over the summer. We were in the garden behind the manor, sitting on a bench. Draco was leaning down and he had his arms around me. I actually had my hair down in this one.I had one of my hands on his arm and we were smiling. We both looked like we really loved each other. I felt my eyes fill with tears.  
"How could you do this to me?" I whispered. "I don't understand. What did I do wrong?" I put my right hand over my mouth and felt a cool spot on my lips where the ring that Draco had given me last year touched my skin. I took my hand away and looked at it.  
"Draco..." I whispered. I sobbed loudly and threw myself onto my pillow, burying my face in it. 

A little while later I heard the sounds of the other Gryffindors as they began to come into the Common Room. I sat up and dried my eyes. I had to go down because dinner would be starting soon. I replaced the picture and the album and went down to the Common Room.  
"Hey Schyler!" Harry called as I came down the stairs. He and the others were standing by the portrait hole, waiting for me. I walked over to them.  
"We were just about to send out a search party," Cory said. I nodded and walked past them out of the Common Room. Usually that would have made me laugh or at least smile but not now. I was too upset. I walked down to the Great Hall and was about to go in when Draco stepped in my way.  
"Can I talk to you?" he asked. I nodded and followed him to an empty room.

"You know they'll kill you if they catch you near me," I said. "Please don't come near me anymore." Draco looked shocked.  
"Are...are you breaking up with me?" he asked sounding shocked and hurt. I looked away as tears came into my eyes.  
"I'm sorry Draco," I said. "I don't really have a choice." I turned to go.

"Wait...please," Draco said reaching out and catching my wrist. "Let me talk. If you don't believe me when I'm done then you can go and I'll leave you alone. But hear me out before you decide that you don't love me anymore."  
_ I could never not love you Draco,_ I thought as I nodded.

"I know that all those beatings that I gave you were wrong," he said. "I really am sorry but I don't want you to forgive me, I don't deserve it. There is one thing I want you to know, though. When I stabbed you...I hadn't wanted to do that, honest. Voldemort knew that you were going to tell the others and he didn't want you to. He told me to either stop you or kill you but I said no. See I agreed with you. I wanted you to tell the others so that someone would stop me from hurting you. When I told him that Voldemort got peeved and put me under the Imperious Curse and told me to kill you if you refused to keep quiet. I knew you were going to refuse and so did he. It was his way of getting back at us for what happened last year." I gasped. That glaze in his eyes! It made sense now! I rushed into his arms.  
"Oh Draco!" I cried as I hugged him. "I knew that you would never do that on your own! I love you so much! I forgive you for all the stuff you did." I pulled away from and looked at him with a very serious expression. "As long as you swear that you will never do it again. And don't agree unless you really mean it." Draco nodded.  
"I swear," he said. Then he leaned down and kissed me. All I felt were tingles. All over. I was so happy to feel those again!

We walked into the Great Hall. Immediately, the others came running over to us. Taylor got to us first and she grabbed both of Draco's wrists.  
"Get away from her!" she cried as she tugged at him. Draco was bent over a little because Taylor was so much shorter than he was. I grabbed Draco around the waist and pulled him back.  
"Tay, let go!" I said. "It's okay!"

"No!" Taylor yelled. "He stabbed you!"  
"It wasn't his fault!" I said. Taylor let go in shock and Draco and I fell backwards, hitting the ground with a dull thud.  
"_Ow..._" I moaned as Draco helped me to my feet.  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked. "How is it not his fault?" I sighed.

"Voldemort put him under the Imperious Curse," I explained. "Not everyone can fight it like we can, Harry."

"How can we be sure that he's not going to hurt you?" Cory asked.  
"Because he swore that he wouldn't," I replied. "You'll just have to trust him." Cory snorted.  
"Trust _him_?" he asked. "Are you nuts?"  
"Well you'll _have_ to," I snapped. "Because I love him. So there!" I walked over to our house table and sat down.  
"Works for me," Taylor said as she came to join me. Harry, Hermione, Jordyn, Ron, and Ginny followed her.  
"You're all bonkers," Cory muttered. Then he looked at Draco. Draco looked back at him.  
"I really love her you know," Draco said.  
"You listen to me Malfoy," Cory said. "I'm going to be keeping an eye on you. If you _ever_ hurt my sister again I swear to God, _I will kill you_." Draco nodded.  
"I know," he said.  
"Keep that in mind," Cory replied. Then they went to sit at their tables.

From then on Draco and I were happy and got along very well. He didn't hurt me anymore and after a while Cory stopped watching Draco like a hawk. But I was not entirely safe. Little did we know that the worst thing to ever happen to us was looming closer with every passing day. Twilight Zone Theme


End file.
